More Indian Tourists are lured to visit the splendid island. – By Dr Harold Gunatillake The tourism industry is optimistic about achieving more than 1.55 million arrivals by the end of the year. The Science of Taste is revolutionising Sri Lanka’s culinary scene, which is driving the creation of new and innovative dishes. This is because the tourist minister targets more than 1.5 million tourists to arrive in 2023 during November and December months and beyond. Sri Lanka tourist venture targets more Indian tourists coming to Sri Lanka, which is how the trend goes. Statistics reveal that this year, though Indian tourists hit the target, tourists arriving from Russia, China, France, Germany, Finland, and other parts of Europe lured Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is on the rise, with more Indian tourists being attracted to the island each year. The culinary scene in Sri Lanka is also evolving, with ...

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TOURIST ARRIVALS IN THE SAME MOMEMTUM THIS MONTH TOO – By Sunil Thenabadu Source : info-rain Over 50,000 tourist arrivals have been reported within the first ten (10) days of August 2023, Sri Lanka’s Tourism Ministry reported. According to the Tourism Ministry, a total of 51, 594 tourist arrivals have been reported during this period, an increase compared to the same period last year. India is the highest source market with 9,146 tourist arrivals, followed by the United Kingdom with 6,939 tourist arrivals, and China with 3,707 tourist arrivals. France with 3,249 tourist arrivals and Germany with 3,155 tourist arrivals rounds off the top five source markets during the first 10 days of August 2023. Tourist arrivals have also been reported from Italy, Russia, Spain, Netherlands and Canada during this period. The Tourism Ministry added that Sri Lanka has reported a total of 819, 507 tourist arrivals until August 10, 2023. (NewsWire) ...

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My Nation – My Pride – by Anurasiri Kottegoda (sent by Shenali D Waduge to eLanka) We have a proud history. We had great kings They made magnificent structures. These amazing achievements are in awe even today. Tourists flock to see these cultural heritage because they do not have such in their own nations. They come to visit Ruwanweli Maha Seya, 60,000,000 tons of bricks used to make Jetawanaramaya, Lova Maha Paya, Sigiriya, Parakrama Samudraya, Giritale, Kantale, Minneriya where massive lakes & man-made irrigation works. The technology used by our ancient kings cannot be matched even with modern technology. Our ancestors have built ancient marvels that we must be proud of. Unfortunately, these ancient marvels crafted by our great  kings are not included into school text books for our children to feel proud of their ancestors. Is this being intentionally done? Who removed our history from school syllabus? Why is a diluted ...

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Buduruwayaya archaeological site – hidden historical treasure – By Arundathie Abeysinghe Located in the south west of *Wasgamuwa National Park, approximately six kilometers from Bakamuna town in Polonnaruwa District of North Central Province and situated amidst spectacular vistas of paddy fields spread endlessly, blending into breathtaking mountains, Buduruwayaya archaeology site is rarely visited by local and foreign tourists. Tropical dry mixed evergreen forest characterized by tall trees, including Weera (Drypetes sepiaria), Palu (Manikkara hexandra), Buruta (Satin – Chloroxylon Swietenia) Ehala (C. Fistula), Milla (Vitaex Pinanata) and Kaluwara (ebony- Diospyros Ebenum) including the endemic Galsiyambala (Dialium ovoideum) and engulfed by diverse endemic and dry zone vegetation, the forest is also home to many wild animals. Scholars are of the view that remains of several small rainwater reservoirs and ruins of Buddhist Temples, indicate that this region had been a well-developed village, many years ago. According to archaeologists, the ruins date to ...

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A night out at Grand Hotel, Nuwara Eliya. – By Dr Harold Gunatillake Website: www.Doctorharold.com My wife and I thought that Nuwara Eliya would be the best place to be during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year festive seasons. We started the trip, along with my nephew’s family on the 15th of April, the day after the auspicious New Year’s Day, and drove through the curvy uphill roads, viewing the most spectacular sites, the wavy lofty hills. Our first stopover was in Ramboda at the Tea Bush Hotel, a spot where every passerby stops to view the beautiful scenery, including the Kotmale Dam in the distance. It is a wonderfully comfortable hotel to stay in or for a quick cup of tea on your way. Good food, kind service with courtesy, and comfortable rooms. The next morning we were on our way to Nuwara Eliya. We passed through the Ramboda ...

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Sri Lanka attracts 30000 tourists in December – By Arundathie Abeysinghe   Over 30,000 tourists have arrived in Sri Lanka up to today (19) and aspires to attract the target of 800,000 by end of December. Setbacks experienced due to economic and political crisis, alongside protest campaigns that ousted President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, tourist arrivals decreased during the first six months, this year. Currently, Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is on the way towards recovery. Tourism sector is gathering momentum with large numbers of tourists arriving in Sri Lanka. *Ella is the most popular destination of tourists this year, followed by Kandy, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Galle. Tourism sector plays a significant role in the island nation’s economy, making up 12 percent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and the third largest source of foreign exchange, providing much-needed revenue for the government. Tourism brings employment opportunities adding thousands of direct ...

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Mein Schiff 5 arrived in Colombo A Few Days Ago- By Sri Lanka Tourism Source : Sri Lanka Tourism Linkedin Mein Schiff 5 arrived in Colombo on the 29th of November and docked in Hambantota on the 30th. The large number of tourists on board visited Yala National Park, becoming the largest crowd of tourists to visit this wildlife sanctuary in the past 2 1/2 years   ...

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Sri Lanka News-updates, as on 7th Dec 2022. – By Dr Harold Gunatillake Website: www.Doctorharold.com If golden beaches, rising waves, misty mountains, mighty elephants, stealthy leopards, giant whales, a glorious past, lovely tea and warm smiles could sum up a country, that would be Sri Lanka. Why does Sri Lanka attract tourists? Travel destinations in Sri Lanka provide an array of holiday experiences, from sun-kissed beach holidays to a marathon of wildlife watching, adrenaline-pumping adventure sports and pilgrimage to some of the oldest cities in the world, and lastly, the street foods in Colombo. What attracts the tourists there? Tourists’ expectations when visiting a particular place are related to several features of the chosen destination: culture, architecture, gastronomy, infrastructure, landscape, events, shopping, etc. These features attract people to the destination and contribute to the overall experience of the trip in Sri Lanka. Traditional Sri Lankan food is Spicy! If you ...

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TOURISM NEEDS INSPIRATION – By Dr Tilak S. Fernando World Tourism Day falls on September 27. Tourism is a big business that benefits many globally. It does not only help hoteliers, but it aids those who are associated with the tourism industry culturally and religiously, with many natural attractions on offer. Tourism provided the oxygen required for the country to survive the present economic crisis. An increase in the inflow of tourists depends on the quality of the product Sri Lanka offers tourists. The latest statistics before the advent of the Easter Sunday terror attacks and COVID-19 show Sri Lanka receiving a record number of tourists in 2018. There has been a significant increase in tourist arrivals recently after Tourism Minister Harin Fernando appointed Priantha Fernando as the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA). The Sunday newspapers highlighted that the former Coordinating Secretary to the State Transport ...

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